CFN – Leadership is a rare quality, especially nowadays. In hockey it’s also a rare commodity . In today’s cap world some players are given an awful lot of money.
Habs goalie Carey Price may not make the highest salary with a cap of $6.5M, but it’s high enough that he excuses don’t really cut it. Peter Budaj and his $1.4M can make excuses. I’m sure you get it.
Last night Montreal jumped out to a 2-0 lead before succumbing 4-3 to an Edmonton team that is almost as beat up as the Habs.
With the teams tied after two periods the Oilers came out and won the game in the third period in Montreal. Good teams don’t allow that to happen. Star goalies almost never.
Is Carey Price a star goalie, a headcase, or does he simply want to play in Vancouver because his performance there was stellar as were couple of the games after?
His .932 sv percentage and 2.27 GAA are good, but don’t fully tell the story as it seems to be either feast or famine for the Habs netminder.
Brandon Prust joined Max Pacioretty, George Parros, Daniel Briere, Douglass Murray, and Alexei “Boom Boom” Emelin. Something showing this year is the lack of strong callups for Montreal. Patrick Holland? Really? Montreal is in the middle of the pack with a 5-4-0 record.
It’s time for Carey Price to “carry” this team for awhile. It’s what star players do once and awhile.
Marc Bergevin has to be feeling the pressure. If they are trying to caress a playoff berth then some moves need to be made, even bringing in Simon Gagne might not be the worst possible move at this time; but it also may be time to start thinking about giving an awful lot more ice time to our younguns and using this season to help develop their NHL game and see how to move forward.
David Desharnais seems to have Scott Gomez disease at the early age of 27. He’s not in the NHL for his D and needs to be a playmaker, put up points, and draw penalties so he can play on the PP and generate more points.
After 10% of the season he’s on pace for a gruesome 10 points. Not sure if he’s our number 2 or 3 Centre, but that won’t cut it.
There are some bright spots, but Montreal is now 20 years from a Stanley Cup and those full houses deserve better. They need more than bright spots.
Excuses are for losers, or Leaf fans.
And speaking of Leaf Fans they have something to be smiling about after Phil Kessel notched a hat trick in the Leafs 4-2 win over Anaheim.
They are second in the East Conference with a 10 goal differential. Their star players have been performing well and the good news for the team is that Free Agent acquisition David Clarkson is about to end his ten game suspension and join the team on ice.
Jonathan Bernier has put up some strong numbers and is a key to the team’s early success. His 5-3 record with 2.12 GAA and .936 SV% are stellar. Dave Nonis has to be one happy GM!
21 goals for and 24 against are not the norm for Ottawa. The team’s bottom six and D have been struggling. Mostly the bottom six.
JG Pageau & Stephane Da Costa have been busts and Mika Zibanejad is back up with the squad. The team has lost both Jakob Silfverberg and Daniel Alfredsson and that depth is hurting them a bit now. While Bobby Ryan is putting up his numbers he doesn’t equal the two players missing from the squad.
It should be interesting to see if GM Bryan Murray tinkers or sinks or swims with this roster?
What do you think Hab, Leaf , and Sens fans? You can post your comments below.